Tight vs. Wrinkled Skin

Here's another article I came across while brushing up on my skin care knowledge.

If you are interested in obtaining samples of skin care products containing Vitamin C, as well as our great self adjusting line, be sure to contact me at: Heather@HMaggio-Pure-Skin-Care.com




Tight vs. Wrinkled Skin: The Choice Is Yours

Posted by Leslie Baumann, M.D.
on Thu, Jun 14, 2007, 12:19 pm PDT

Good news: wherever you naturally fall on the tight vs. wrinkled skin scale (and there are, no doubt, genetic factors that influence how we age), lifestyle choices can make a big difference.

First, let's get a sense of what we're up against. Your dermis - the deeper layer of your skin - is where wrinkle-causing changes take place. Those changes are due primarily to the deterioration of your skin's three main structural components:

• Collagen: gives skin its durability
• Elastin: gives skin its resilience and bounce
• Hyaluronic acid: holds water and gives skin its volume

As we age, each of these three components decreases, and there's no way around that. Women will notice this most during the first five years after menopause, when collagen can decrease by as much as 30 percent. But there are plenty of things we can do to ensure that we don't lose 'em any faster than necessary:

• Avoid outside influences that degrade the structure of your dermis, among them smoking, sun exposure, and poor nutrition.
• As I've mentioned in the past, make antioxidants a regular part of your day - first and foremost through diet, and also in the form of topical skin serums (look for these in dropper-style bottles) or moisturizers. Some of the most common are vitamins C and E, lycopene, green tea, and coenzyme Q10.
• Help stimulate your skin's natural collagen production - and slough off dead skin cells that inhibit maximum absorption of serums and lotions - with cleansers that contain alpha hydroxy acids (like glycolic or lactic acid).
• Look for other skin care ingredients that can stimulate your skin to produce more collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid on its own. Retinoids, vitamin C, and copper peptide have all been shown to do just that.
• Drink lots of water. The enzymes in your skin need water to work properly. Look for the many new waters out there with added antioxidant ingredients - or add an "antioxidant booster" to your water. Drinking iced green tea is another option.

Wishing you great skin!
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Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, "The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site. Many of Dr. Baumann's recommended skin care products are available there, and a portion of proceeds goes to The Dermatology Foundation.